7 players on Kentucky’s College World Series team selected in MLB Draft

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — If a college baseball team makes it to Omaha for the College World Series, it certainly has to have talent worthy of hearing some names called in the MLB Draft.

The 2024 Kentucky baseball team had the best season in program history, and has now had a memorable showing at the MLB Draft with seven players selected.

Ryan Waldschmidt got it started as a 1st round pick (No. 31 overall) to the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Emilien Pitre also getting picked on Day One in the 2nd round (No. 58 overall) to the Tampa Bay Rays.

This was the first time in the Nick Mingione era that two Kentucky players got picked in the first two rounds, making for a successful start before the team’s depth was showed off later.

Ryan Nicholson (No. 292 overall) led the team in home runs and tied a program single-season record, which got him to become a Day Two selection in the 10th round to the Los Angeles Angels.

Trey Pooser (No. 306 overall) was also selected in the 10th round to the Rays, raising his draft stock after an impressive postseason that saw him have stellar starts in the Super Regional and the College World Series. He was the Wildcats’ Friday starter this season.

Mason Moore and Travis Smith in the 15th round, combined with Dominic Niman in the 18th round, brought Kentucky to see all four of its top starting pitchers hear their names called.

Potential-incoming players also heard their names called in the Draft, both in the form of committed freshmen and transfers. UK signee Tyler Bell got picked 66th overall to the Tampa Bay Ray, and will likely skip college ball and sign with the organization.

Transfer portal commits Jackson Strong (7th round), Trent Youngblood (10th round) and Ryan Verdugo (12th round) each got selected and are not expected to arrive in Lexington. Youngblood was a transfer from up the road at Transylvania.

Decision time now awaits the players who have collegiate eligibility remaining, like Moore, who could potentially return as the Sunday starter, and like Bell, who could still pass on the money and play NCAA baseball for a program that just made the College World Series.